Researchers: Long-Distance Relationships AREN'T Doomed

In fact, they may be stronger than normal relationships

File this under totally counterintuitive news: Long-distance couples aren't any more likely to have relationship issues than couples who live close to each other, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy. The study also found that living far apart from a loved one predicted greater levels of intimacy, communication, and relationship satisfaction.

Granted, this isn't totally unexpected: Back in July, a study published in the Journal of Communication also found that long-distance couples reported higher levels of intimacy. In this most recent study, researchers found that other characteristics (such as how confident subjects felt about the future of their relationship) had a much bigger bearing on satisfaction than the couple's LDR status did.